MFD Expands Medical Capability with Equipment Donated by the Elliot Hospital

Manchester(NH) Fire Department was presented with a LifePak cardiac monitorforadvanced medical care by the Elliot Hospital at fire headquarters. The device will be placed into service at Engine 3 which is located at the most southern point of the city and has the longest response times forambulances. The device allows firefighters to gathercardiac-related data and have it sent directly to the hospital. It also can act as an AED if required. ManchesterEngine 3 is one of the first engines fully staffed with advanced life support personnel on all shifts, this adds Advanced Level Emergency Medical personnel including some firefighters at the Paramedic level. Chief Ryan Cashin said that when he joined the department Manchesterresponded to 8000 medical calls annually. Last year, ManchesterFire responded to 20,000 calls with the same orless staffing that was available 20 years ago. ManchesterFirefighterTimothy Johnson spoke about the machine and pointed out the multiple tools it gives responders and spoke about the wireless connectivity to the hospitals.

Concord Toy Drive

- Fire News photo by Jeffrey Hastings

Chief Thomas Judge said that the Concord (MA) Fire Department distributed dozens of toys to families in need this past holiday season, following donations from students in the community. In what has become an annual tradition, members of the Concord-Carlisle High School football team, as well as students from the Willard School, have come togetherto donate toys to the Concord Firefighters Relief Association, which, in turn, donated them to families in need in Concord and beyond. Concord Fire collected over1,000 new toys in theiroriginal packaging thanks to donations from the students and others in the community. “This is a great tradition that ourmembers have come to look forward to every year,” Chief Judge said. “I want to thank ourresidents and the students from CCHS and the Willard School fortheirefforts to collect and donate these toys, and express my gratitude to the Concord Firefighters’Relief Association forspearheading this important initiative.”

- Photo courtesy of Concord FD

ManchesterFF’s Adopt-a-Family Program

This year 10 families and 23 children got a helping hand from the members of Manchester (NH) Professional Firefighters Local 856 and Local 3820 who raised funds through each of the stations, enabling them to purchase each child some gifts they had asked Santa for Adopt a Family was started over 20 years ago by District Chiefs Mike Gamache and Bob Corbel who have since retired. The mission to help families in need has been passed forward to current members of the Manchester FD. - Fire News photo by Jeffrey Hastings

Whitman-Hanson Scholarships

This past December, Whitman-Hanson (MA) Dollars forScholars held theirannual Holiday Tree Lighting in the town park. Donors decorate trees around the park to raise money forscholarships awarded to graduating seniors at Whitman-Hanson Regional High School. This year, the tree donated by Whitman Firefighters Local #1769 was awarded 1st Place in the “Most Festive” category. Winners will have a $300 scholarship awarded in theirname to a 2023 graduate from Whitman orHanson.